Grow

How to spell grow

4 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce grow

What does grow mean?

1. verbTo increase in size, amount, or degree, or to cause something to develop.

Grow in a sentence

• These tomatoes grow best in full sunlight.

• Small savings can grow steadily over many years.

Where does grow come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is a thoroughly native English word, descending from the Old English verb 'growan', which meant to flourish, to develop, or to spring up, especially of plants. It belongs to a family of related Germanic words, including the Old Norse 'groa' and the Dutch 'groeien', all sharing the same ancient sense of green, living things putting on size. The root is the same one that gives us 'grass' and 'green', since all three describe the upward thriving of vegetation. Over the centuries the meaning widened from plants alone to anything that increases in size, number, or degree, including children, businesses, and feelings. Because it is so old and so common, the spelling stayed short and simple, though the irregular past forms 'grew' and 'grown' preserve an old pattern of vowel change.

How the word is built

• grow (native English root meaning to flourish or increase); irregular verb (grow, grew, grown)